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Pantry Packs resumes providing packs to schools the week of October 20
​Volunteer drivers will transport packs to each school, and school personnel will distribute them to students on their own schedule.  Food donations and group volunteer events remain on pause while we establish appropriate processes under COVID-19 restrictions. 

LWSD is still providing free meals to children 1-18 at their many meal sites, including weekend meals on Fridays. 
ONGOING PROGRAM UPDATES DURING THE LWSD CLOSURE AND COVID-19 OUTBREAK ​ARE NOW POSTED ON OUR UPDATES PAGE. Check them out for more details about our current operational changes. 

Pantry Packs powered by the Lake Washington Schools Foundation provides weekend food packs for Food-insecure LWSD students each week  

When kids don’t get enough to eat, they can’t concentrate and they can’t learn. Teachers tell of students excited to be at school on Mondays because they can eat there through federal programs. But these same children in the Lake Washington School District (LWSD) often go hungry on weekends or during school breaks.​
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With community donations of time, funds and kid-friendly food, 40 volunteers come together each month (when social restrictions end) to “pack the packs.” Volunteer drivers then deliver the packs to more than 46 participating schools, and each week school coordinators distribute the packs to hungry children in preschool through high school. Throughout the school year, Pantry Packs demonstrates how volunteers, schools and the community work together to help children in our area. For more information, email PantryPacks@lwsf.org.

YOU CAN HELP!

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  • DO YOU KNOW A CHILD WHO COULD BENEFIT FROM ADDITIONAL WEEKEND FOOD? Talk to your school's designated Pantry Packs coordinator, or review the Pantry Packs FAQs.
  • ​FOOD DONATIONS: CURRENTLY SUSPENDED DURING COVID-19 RESTRICTIONS
    ​Pantry Packs is in need of a lot of kid-friendly meal and snack items. You could do a food drive for just one food or many from our kid-friendly food items list (please note that none of these items are perishable foods because we cannot safely store or distribute those). We have a planning checklist with more information, and our Food Drive Coordinator is available to help you organize your food drive. For more information, email FoodDrives@lwsf.org. Enhance your promotional posts with this fun food donation video spot below produced pro bono by Alisa Prinos Videography! [use this video link to share]
  • ​PACK THE PACKS: CURRENTLY SUSPENDED DURING COVID-19 RESTRICTIONS
    Join other volunteers in assembling Pantry Packs, or at a prepping event to unpack food. Bring a friend. Bring your middle and high schoolers for community service hours. Bring a PTA/PTSA. Bring a scout troop. Bring a school honors club.  Student volunteers under 18 must be accompanied by a participating adult, and all volunteers must sign up online to participate. Check the Packing & Prep Event Instructions to sign up; note that we're limited in the number of volunteers per packing party, and these opportunities fill up quickly.​ Submit the Volunteer Notification Form to be notified of future volunteer opportunities as they arise.
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Girl Scout volunteering at a Packing Party. (Young Reflections Photography, 2016).
  • DONATE FUNDS FOR BULK FOOD PURCHASES​: 
We welcome the donation of funds to purchase the food we need at the best possible price. Please click the donation button to make a donation or mail a check written to "LWSF-Pantry Packs" to:
Lake Washington Schools Foundation
PO Box 83, Redmond, WA 98073
​Remember that your donations may be matched by your employer. And consider making a recurring donation...because hunger is recurring!
  • Each $6 per month buys a single pack of food for a LWSD student.
  • $24 per month sponsors a single student’s monthly supply of packs.
  • DONATE FOOD DIRECTLY TO PANTRY PACKS VIA OUR AMAZON WISH LIST: CURRENTLY SUSPENDED DURING COVID-19 RESTRICTIONS
Simply order the food items you wish to donate and your order will be shipped directly to Lake Washington Schools Foundation and designated for Pantry Pack’s use! Some items even have an optional “subscribe and save” option to set a recurring donation. Remember to include your name and address in the "note" so that we can properly record your donation and issue you a receipt.

When a community comes together, its members can solve the most pressing problems. Join us to solve student hunger in the Lake Washington School District.

ADDITIONAL PANTRY PACKS RESOURCES:

Note: Pantry Packs are packed in bulk and are not checked for allergens.